The Allard Safari was a three-door, five-seat sports estate built by the Allard Motor Company in 1952 alone, as a derivative of the P2 saloon. Its timber-framed rear body made it a British woodie, and only ten were completed.
Allard Safari at a glance
| Maker | Allard Motor Company, Clapham, London |
|---|---|
| Production | 1952 only |
| Built | 10 |
| Body | three-door, five-seat sports estate |
| Base | Allard P2 saloon |
| Frame | tubular steel |
| Body material | aluminium, with visible timber framing at the rear |
| Engine | Ford Pilot sidevalve V8, 3,622 cc |
| Power | 85 bhp (62.5 kW) at 3,500 rpm |
| Compression | 6.1:1 |
| Gearbox | three-speed |
| Wheelbase | 2,845 mm |
| Length | 5,029 mm, 152 mm longer than the saloon |
| Track | 1,486 mm front and rear |
This page is based on one source, the German Wikipedia article on the Allard Safari; there is no English Wikipedia article for this model.
History of the Allard Safari
The Safari was a derivative of the P2 saloon, which supplied its drivetrain, wheelbase and front half of the chassis. The sidevalve V8 and three-speed gearbox came from the Ford Pilot: 3,622 cc from a bore and stroke of 77.79 by 96.25 mm, a compression ratio of 6.1:1 and 85 bhp at 3,500 rpm. Other V8 engines, usually from American cars, could be fitted to special order.
The front wheels were independently suspended on coil springs, while the driven rear wheels hung on a De Dion axle. The wheelbase matched the saloon at 2,845 mm and the track was 1,486 mm front and rear, but the estate was 5,029 mm long, 152 mm more than the saloon. The frame was made of steel tubes and the body of aluminium.
At the rear the timber frame of the body was left visible, following the fashion for woodies in the United States at the time. The model lasted a single year and only ten examples were built.
Design and features
- Woodie body: the timber framing of the rear body was deliberately left on show.
- Estate practicality: three doors, five seats and a long body for a low-volume British sports car.
- Ford Pilot mechanicals: a 3,622 cc sidevalve V8 of 85 bhp and a three-speed gearbox.
- De Dion rear axle: the more sophisticated rear end used by Allard on its better cars.
- Rarity: ten cars in one year of production.
Allard Safari versions
- Safari (1952): the standard estate on the P2 platform with the Ford Pilot V8.
- Cars with other V8s: American engines fitted to individual orders.
The Safari was based on the P2 saloon and belongs with the closed Allards such as the P1 and the M. More cars are in the Allard collection.
Sources
- Allard Safari, German Wikipedia: body, engine, dimensions, production
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